By Dr. Terrence Nollen
Dear Readers:
It is hard to believe that another year has flown by. This is a list of all the booktalks published from Dec. 13, 2019 through Dec. 4, 2020. I hope that the recommendations have been helpful to you and your family. As the famous English writer, Walter de la Mare said: “only the rarest kind of the best can be good enough for the young.”
I have tried to reflect his wisdom in the books I have reviewed this year. It is an honor to write for the Southern Nebraska Register. Have a very Merry Christmas.
Dr. Terrence Nollen
1. “O Christmas Tree,” by Vashanti Rahaman, pictures by Frane Lessac. Boyds Mills Press, Honesdale, Pennsylvania, 1996, 32 pages, K-2. Dec. 13, 2019
2. “Nativity” by Cynthia Rylant. Simon and Shuster, New York, 2017, 32 pages, K-1. Dec. 20, 2019
3. “Shadow on the Mountain,” by Margi Preus. Amulet Books, New York, 2012, 286 pages, Grades 7-9. Jan. 10, 2020
4. “All in a Drop: How Antony van Leeuwenhoek Discovered an Invisible World,” by Lori Alexander, illustrated by Vivien Mildenberger. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston, 2019, 93 pages, Grades 5-7. Jan. 17, 2020
5. “Benno and the Night of the Broken Glass,” by Meg Wiviott, illustrated by Josee Bisaillon. Kar-Ben Publishers, Minneapolis, 2010, 32 pages, Grades 5 and higher. Jan. 24, 2020
6. “Heart of a Samurai,” by Margi Preus. Amulet Books, New York, 2010, 301 pages, Grades 5-8. Jan. 31, 2020
7. “Pluto Gets the Call,” by Adam Rex, illustrated by Laurie Keller. Beach Lane Books, New York, 2019, 48 pages, Grades 2-4. Feb. 07, 2020
8. “The Magnificent Migration,” by Sy Montgomery. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston, 2019, 153 pages, Grades 7-9. Feb. 14, 2020
9. “Madeline Finn and the Library Dog,” by Lisa Papp Peachtree, Atlanta, 2016, 32 pages, K-2. Feb. 21, 2020
10. “Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster,” by Jonathan Auxier. Abrams, The Art of Books, New York, 344 pages, 2018, Grades 6-9. Feb. 28, 2020
11. “A Piglet Named Mercy,” by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen. Candlewick Press, Somerville, Massachusetts, 2019, 32 pages, K-2. March 6, 2020
12. “The Three Little Pigs,” by James Marshall Puffin Books, New York, 1989, 32 pages, K-3. March 13, 2020
13. “Dog Diaries: Sparky,” by Kate Klimo, illustrated by Tim Jessell Random House, New York, 149 pages, Grades 3-5. March 20, 2020
14. “Wanda Gag: The Girl Who Loved to Draw,” by Deborah Kogan Ray. Viking Press, New York, 2008, 40 pages, K-2. March 27, 2020
15. “Moonbird: A Year On The Wind With The Great Survivor B95,” by Philip Hoose. Farrar Straus Giroux, New York, 2012, 148 pages, Grades 7 and older. April 3, 2020
16. The Last Supper. St. Matthew, Chapter 26; St. Mark, Chapter 14; St. Luke, Chapter 22; 1 Cor. 11:23-26 and St. John Chapter 13-Chapter 17. All Bibles. April 10, 2020
17. “The Mysterious Benedict Society,” by Trenton Lee Stewart. Little, Brown & Company, New York, 2007, 485 pages, Grades 6-8. April 17, 2020
18. “The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street,” by Karina Yan Glaser. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston, 2017, 311 pages, Grades 4-6. April 24, 2020
19. “Children of the Wild West,” by Russell Freedman. Scholastic Incorporated, New York, 1983, 104 pages, Grades 4-6. May 1, 2020
20. “The Book Rescuer: How a Mensch from Massachusetts Saved Yiddish Literature for Generations to Come” By Sue Macy, illustrated by Stacy Innerst Simon and Schuster, New York, 2019, 48 pages, Grades 3-5. May 8, 2020
21. “The Rhino in Right Field,” by Stacy Dekeyser. McElderry Books, New York, 2018, 257 pages, Grades 4-7. May 15, 2020
22. “Petunia,” by Roger Duvoisin Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1950, 32 pages, K-2. May 22, 2020
23. “Chloe and the Lion,” by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Adam Rex. Hyperion Books, New York, 2012, 48 pages, Grades 2-4. May 29, 2020
24. “Nesting,” by Henry Cole. Katherine Tegen Books, New York, 2019, 32 pages, K-2. June 12, 2020
25. “Death Comes for the Archbishop: Scholarly Edition” by Willa Cather University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, Nebraska, 1999, 315 pages, Grades 9 through adult. June 26, 2020
26. “Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave,” by Laban Carrick Hill, illustrated by Bryan Collier. Little, Brown and Company, New York, 2010, 40 pages, Grades 2-4. July 10, 2020
27. “The Magic School Bus in the Time of the Dinosaurs” by Joanna Cole, illustrated by Bruce Degen. Scholastic Inc., New York, 1994, 43 pages, Grades 3-5. July 24, 2020
28. “Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team,” by Steve Sheinkin. Roaring Brook Press, New York, 2017, 280 pages, Grades 7-11. Aug. 7, 2020
29. “Bink & Gollie” by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee, illustrated by Tony Fucile. Candlewick Press, Somerville, Mass., 2010, 81 pages, Grades 2-4. Aug. 21, 2020
30. “Battle Bunny: It’s Doomsday,” by Jon Scieszka and Mac Barnett, illustrated by Matthew Myers. Simon & Shuster Books for Young Readers, New York, 2013, 32 pages, Grades 3-4. Sept. 4, 2020
31. “For Freedom: The Story of a French Spy” by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Delacorte Press, New York, 2003, 181 pages, Grades 6-8. Sept. 11, 2020
32. “Island: A Story of the Galapagos,” by Jason Chin. Roaring Brook Press, New York, 2012, 40 pages, Grades 3-4. Sept. 18, 2020
33. “The U.S. Supreme Court,” by Dan Elish. Children’s Press, New York, 2007, 48 pages, Grades 3-5. Oct, 2, 2020
34. “When My Brother Gets Home” by Tom Lichtenheld Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 2020, 40 pages, K-2. Oct. 9, 2020
35. “Titanicat” by Marty Crisp, illustrated by Robert Papp. Sleeping Bear Press, Chelsea, Michigan, 2008, 40 pages, Grades 1-3. Oct. 16, 2020
36. “I Survived The California Wildfires, 2018” by Lauren Tarshis Scholastic Press, New York, 2020, 139 pages, Grades 4-5. Oct. 23, 2020
37. “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm,” by Kate Douglas Wiggin. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 182 pages, 1903, Grades 5-7. Oct. 30, 2020
38. “Field Trip to the Moon,” by John Hare. Holiday House, New York, 2019, 40 pages, K-2. Nov. 6, 2020
39. “The Unwanted: Stories of Syrian Refugees,” by Don Brown Houghton Mifflin, New York, 2018, 112 pages, grades 7 and higher. Nov. 13, 2020
40. “Jungle of Bones,” by Ben Mikaelsen. Scholastic Press, New York, 2014, 211 pages, Grades 6-8. Nov. 20, 2020
41. “Thanksgiving: The True Story” by Penny Colman. Christy Ottaviano Books, New York, 2008, 149 pages, Grades 5-8. Nov. 25, 2020
